In this photo taken from a remote camera at the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve in the Primorye region of Russia's Far East on Dec. 8, 2011, a golden eagle attacks a deer. Remote cameras set up to track Siberian tigers in Russia have caught a golden eagle attack on a sika deer, snapping three photos as the massive bird digs its talons into the distressed animal's back. Golden eagles typically eat small birds or mammals, but they've also been known to target deer. It's rare for a camera to catch such an attack in progress. (AP Photo/The Zoological Society of London)

LONDON (AP) — Remote cameras set up to track Siberian tigers in Russia have caught a golden eagle attack on a sika deer, snapping three photos as the massive bird digs its talons into the distressed animal's back.

Golden eagles typically eat small birds or mammals, but they've also been known to target deer. It's rare for a camera to catch such an attack in progress.

The Zoological Society of London's Linda Kerley said in a statement Thursday that she couldn't believe the pictures when she saw them.

The society said they were shot in the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve in the Primorye region of Russia's Far East in December 2011.

The eagle vs. deer photos were published this month in the Ohio-based Journal of Raptor Research and have since grabbed attention online.

Click image to enlarge

In this photo taken from a remote camera at the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve in the Primorye region of Russia’s Far East on Dec. 8, 2011, a golden eagle attacks a deer. Remote cameras set up to track Siberian tigers in Russia have caught a golden eagle attack on a sika deer, snapping three photos as the massive bird digs its talons into the distressed animal’s back. Golden eagles typically eat small birds or mammals, but they’ve also been known to target deer. It’s rare for a camera to catch such an attack in progress. (AP Photo/The Zoological Society of London)

Click image to enlarge

In this photo taken from a remote camera at the Lazovsky State Nature Reserve in the Primorye region of Russia’s Far East on Dec. 8, 2011, a golden eagle attacks a deer. Remote cameras set up to track Siberian tigers in Russia have caught a golden eagle attack on a sika deer, snapping three photos as the massive bird digs its talons into the distressed animal’s back. Golden eagles typically eat small birds or mammals, but they’ve also been known to target deer. It’s rare for a camera to catch such an attack in progress. (AP Photo/The Zoological Society of London)